PEKIN — The Pekin Planning Commission on Wednesday approved the site plan for the Dollar General that will locate at West Campus, clearing the way for the new store.

The site plan for parking was the final step needed by Overland Engineering to build a new Dollar General at 207 N. Ninth St., the former site of the oldest building on West Campus. The Dollar General now located at 1101 Broadway will be relocating to West Campus. The Dollar General lease at Cohen Development Co. is expiring in January.

Commissioner Erik Reader voted against the site plan but did not say why. Planning Commission Chairman Bill Craig, Vice Chairman Don Hild and commissioners Ron Knautz, James Ruth, Daryl Dagit, Jim Jones and Steve Thompson all voted in favor of the site plan.

The City Council on July 14 approved a zoning change from Residential 4 to Business 3 to make way for Overland to market the property for business.

Jacob Stauffer, executive vice president and general counsel for Overland Engineering, told the commission the plans for the store had changed to address some concerns of the community. The Dollar General will not be the traditional yellow metal building; it will be a red brick building. Knautz said that he appreciated the change.

Hild asked Stauffer why the change from metal to red brick.

“You guys wanted it,” said Stauffer.

He said Overland had reviewed city code and worked to make sure that every detail conformed to city needs.

Jones was concerned with the lighting of the store — that it might shine at night into homes in the neighborhood. Stauffer said the lights will be shaded away from the homes. Jones also asked that the garbage area be moved to the back of the lot. Stauffer said something could be worked out to move it out of sight.

The building will have 38 parking spots. The city code requires that there be one parking space for every 10,640 square feet of usable space. The Dollar General will be approximately 7,000 square feet. There will be a water retention area behind the building for water run-off. Stauffer said it will be green space. The company will plant shrubs and trees on the property with appropriate landscaping.

Currently, the property is covered with tall grass and weeds. West Campus site manager Josh Hafliger said Wednesday that the campus will be mowed by the end of this week or early next week so that it looks nice for the Marigold Parade.